Machine for cutting sheet-form material



ug 9 c. B. GRAY MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL 5 sheets-sheet :s

Filed March 15, '1923 Aug. 23, 1927.

' c. B. GRAY MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET FORM MATERIAL` l Filed March 15. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Tk 'i513 E12 EQ Vil/5 ElV Gttozmn,

E2 Ew Y 23 1927. Aug C. B. GRAY 4MACHINE vFOR CUTTING SHEET-FORM MATERIAL' 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1923 Nv @W @E i, NN a Q M Mm HQE :www mw mmm mm a wf /f// 4224/ W 2 Q J E @SSFS Passed Aug. a3, 19a?.

j( STATES ,PATENTAorF "CHARLES B. GnAY,'- 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

f visfrAczaINn Fon comitive SHEET-FORM MATERIAL.

- -Apinicanon filed March 15, 1923. semi No. 625,327.

This:imprevementf.relates particularly to machinesv for cutting sheet-form material in which machines thechief cutting eiement is la reciprocatory cutter located above and per-V ,member which is located above the sheet plane. Y,

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 isan elevation ofthe front of a machine embodying my improvement;

f Fie. 2 is a View of the same machine lookv b ing toward the right as shown` in Fig. 1,

parts being broken away;

F ig. 3 is a. plan of the left hand portion of the machine; Y

Figffl is a rear elevation of theleft hand portion of the machine;v 'l

YF ig. jis an upright section on the line, 5 5, of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; f f i Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on theline, 6 6, of Fig. V1; A

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line, 7 7, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an upright section on the line, 8-8, of Fig. 6;.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section along the sheet planeand showing the cutting mechanism and the lower feed member;

Figs. 10,11 and l2 illustrate another form of the upper feed roller and the means sup` porting said roller.' Y

Referring to said drawings, A, is the body of the machine. p This has an upper arm. A1, and a lower arm, Betweensaidarms is the throat of the machine. Insaid throat I is the horizontal sheetI plane in which lies'the sheet, S, which lis to be cut. Below the sheet plane is the lower feedvv roller, C, which'is similarto the lower feed roller described` in myv above-mentioned patents. Said roller may also serve as `one'of the lower cutting membersas described in said patents. Beside the roller, C, are the stationary lower cutters. C1 and C2 (Fig. 9) Abovethe sheet plane, theY upper .reciprocatory cutter, B, is supported Vby a holder, B1, which is re'- ciprocated in an upright path Aby a` pitmanV (not shown) whichV isactuated by the upper drive shafn as describedin said patents. In the machines cf said patentstliere is an upper feed roller mounted on a horizontal axlesimilarto the lower'feed roller, C.

`In lthe present improvement I substitute a conical rotary feed member for the former 'roller or. wheel, and this. conical feed member is mounted on an oblique axis whereby the lower part of theconical face is brought parallel tothe sheet plane and adaptedto bear upon vthe upper face of the sheet-,S

The feed member, D, isiixed on the lower end of the inclined shaft, D1. which restsin the bearing. which vis rigid on the lateral, oblique arm, E1, of the upright reciprocatory shaft or bar, E2.k r1`he shaft, D1, extends npward and to the right of the bearing, E, and

.is fixed in a joint member, D2, which is coupled to Vanother jointmember,l D3, to form a universaljoint. The member, D3, has a 'four-sided stem,D1, which extends slidably into a socket, D5., formed in the ad` jacent end Aof the horizontal shaftmember, DG, whichv extends rightward of said joint. The opposite end of said member, D6, has a similar socket,'D7, which `receives the foursided stem'. D-S, of a joint member, D9, which couples with thejoint member,'D10, which is secured tothe shaft, D11. The members, D"V and D10, 'form a universal joint. The shaft, D11, rests in the stationary horizontal bearing, A3in`the body of the' machine. Said shaft projectsout through theright ha'nd end-of said body and there supports a spur gear wheel, D12, which meshes with the spur gear wheel, D13, which surrounds the lower drive shaft, C1, which receives motion 'in the manner .describ-ed'in, the above-men tionedpatents The lower feed roller, C, receives motion from v'said lower drive shaft. lThus whenever the lower-drive shaft is rotated, the lower feed roller or wheel and also the upperconical feed member are rotated in opposing' directionsfso that the faces of these'ffeedmeinbersf which bear against the sheet, S, will move in the same direction.

The bar, 1112,; rests' slidably in the' upright bearings, A, which form a part of the upper arm, A1, of the body of the machine. Said bar is cylindrical and is feathered loosely in the bearings, -A, to permit only limited turning and to permit endwise movement. Above-the lower bearing, A4, an expanding lil() coiled spring, E3, surrounds the bar, E2, and bears downward against said bearing and upward against a collar, E4, surrounding the bar and fixed thereto by a pin, Thus said spring constantly tends to lift said bar. Above said collar the bar is surrounded by a heavier spring, E, which rests on said collar and bears upward against a collar, E7, which is loose on said bar and has an upper cam face, E8, which bears against a corresponding cam face, E2, on the collar, E1", which surrounds the bar, E2, and is engaged to the upper bearing, A1, by .a dowel, E11, to prevent the turning of said collar. On the collar, E7, is a handle, E12,

'by Awhich said collar may be turned far enough to change the relation of the cam faces and thereby force the collar, E7, downward against the resistance of the weaker spring, E3. 1Vhen the arm, E12, has been turned back to allow the collar, E7, to rise, the weaker spring, E2, presses the collar, E1, upward, whereby the bar and lthe spring, E, and the collar, E7, are lifted to their upper limit. Through ythese adjustments, the conical feed member, D, is raised and lowered. When said feed member has lbeen set in its lower position for work, the heavier spring yields slightly to allow the feed member to pass over irregularities in the sheet, S. A bracket, E13, vsecured to the upper bearing, A1, by means ofra cap screw, E11, extends downward over the side of the collar, E7. A screw, E15, extends horizontally through the lower part of said bracket and bears against a brake block, E16 which bears againstthe upright face of the collar, E7. Said brake mechanism tends to hold said collar in the position into which it is turned by moving the handle, E12. j

Two ears, A5, are placed on the rim of the upper bearing, A". A collar, E17, surrounds the upper end of the bar, E2, and is secured thereto by a cross pin, E18, and has a lateral arm, E19, which extends between the ears, A5. A set bolt, E2, is threaded horizontally tl'irough each ear, A5, in position to bear against the arm, E12. A jam nut, E21, surrounds each of said bolts, and is adapted to bear against the adjacent ear to bind the adjacent bolt against rotation. By retracting one of these bolts and driving the other forward, the bar, E2, may be turned to move the lconical feed member horizontally and to precise position. During the endwise movements of the bar or shaft, E2, the arm, E19, slides up and down between the set bolt-s, E2. Y

And during the 'endwise movements of the shaft, E2, whereby the member, D, is raised and lowered, the joints between the shafts, D11 and D1, allow adjustment. j

rEhe conical feed Imember, D, occupies small space and obstructs the view at the cutting line only a little. Furthermore,

placing said member in the oblique position permits raising the shaft, D6, to make more clear throat space.

Referring now to Figs. 10, 11 and l2, a bushing, E, is placed into4 the bearing, E, of

Fig. 4. Vtth'in the bushing is placed theI body, E 1, having shoulder, F2, bearing against the coupling member, E1. YThe body, F1, hasa neck, F1,-A reaching into the coupling, E3, and secured to the coupling by a pin, F On the forward part of the body is the head, E6, which is in the form of a truncated cone. A conical tip, F7, has a stem, F2, extending into the head, F6, and the body, E1. On the body, EB, and in the head are key ways, E2 and F10, which receive a key, F11, whereby relative rotation of the stem, F2, and the tip, E7, is prevented. A long bolt, E12, extends through the bore, F13, of the body, E1, and is threaded into a socket, F11, in the inner end of the stem, F2, ofthe conical tip, F7. The head, F15, ofthe bolt bears againstthe end of the neck, F1. By turning the bolt forward, the stem, F2, and the tip, F7, are drawn rearward in the head, E, against the shoulder, F16, on the body, F1. The tip, E7, is preferably made a little larger than the head, F6, in order that the head, E6, will not make ,engagement with the sheet which is to be cut. y i

In both forms herein described, the vconical feed roller leaves the marked cutting line` exposed kto the view of the operator. In my former machines of this kind, the upper wheel-form roller was large enough to cover a considerable part of the cutting-Aline. By the use of the conical roller, the cutti1 i','g line is left uncovered directly to the cutting point. This permits seeing the cuttingjline at the cutting point and cutting accurately to the line. This feature isespecially important where the cutting line has short curves.

I claim as my invention V l. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means, a bearing which is on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet 'cutting point, an upper rotary feed member extending rotatably through said bearing and to the sheet plane, said bearing' being yielding lto allow said upper feed member to bear yield'- ingly upon the upper face of a sli-eet resting in the sheet plane, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means', a bearing which is on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet cutting point, an upper rotary feed member extending rotatably through said-bearing and having a conical lower end extending ,to the sheet plane, said bearing being yielding to allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheetresting in the sheet plane, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means, an upper feed member', and means comprising an upright, reciprocable shaft for supporting said member rotatably on an axis which is oblique to the sheet plane, said shaft being yielding endwise lto allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the `sheet plane, Substantially as described.y v

4. In a machineof the nature described, the combination of cutting means, an upper feed member, and a support reciprocable on an upright path and adapted to partially rotate on an upright axis, said support'supporting said upper feed member rotatably on an axis which is oblique to the sheet plane, means for yieldingly pressing said support downward, vand adjusting means for partially turning said support for moving said feed member horizontally, substantially as described.

5. In -a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means, a bearing vwhich is on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet cutting point, an upper rotary feed member extending rotatably through said bearing and to the sheet plane, said bearing being yielding to allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, and manual means for lifting said bearing for lifting the upper feed member out of the working position, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means, an upper feed member, means for supporting said member rotatably, a relatively weak spring tending to lift said supporting means, a stronger spring in engagement with said supporting means, and operator-controlled means adapted to force said stronger spring down- @ward for forcing saidsupport downward against the resistance of the weaker spring, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means, an upper feed member, means for supporting said member rotatably on an oblique axis, a relatively weak spring tending to lift said supporting' means, a stronger spring in engagement with said supporting means, and operator-controlled means adapted to force said stronger spring downward for forcing said support downward against the resistance of the weaker spring, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting' means, an upper feed member, an upright shaft, means on said shaft for supporting said member rotatably on an oblique axis, a relatively weak spring surrounding and tending to lift said shaft, a stronger spring surrounding and vin engagement with said shaft, and operatoradapted to force said stronger `spring down- L ward for forcing said shaft downward against the resistance of the weaker spring, substantiallyas described.

l0. In a machine of the nature described,

the combination of cutting means, an upil right endwise reciprccable shaft, a bearing on the lower end of said shaft on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet cutting point, an upper rotaryk feed member yextending rotatably through said bearing and to the sheet plane, said shaft'being yielding endwise to allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, substantially as described.

t? Si ll. In a machine of the nature described,

the combination of cutting means, an upper feed member, means comprising an upright, endwise reciprocable shaft for supporting said member rotatably on an oblique axis, t

said shaft being yielding to allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, manual means for lifting sai-d shaft for lifting' the upper feed member out of vthe working position, and adjusting means for partially turning said shaft to adjust said upper feed member horizontally, substantially as described.

l2. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting means including an upright upper reciprocatory cutter, a

Lbearing which is on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet cutting point, an upper rotary feed member extending rotatably through said bearing and to the sheet plane, said bearing being yielding to allow said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the nature described, the vcombination of cutting means including an upright reciprocatory cutter, a bearing which is on an axis which is oblique to and cuts the sheet plane near the sheet cutting point, an upper rotary feed member extending rotatably through said bearing and hav-V ing a conical lower end extending to the sheet plane, said bearing being yielding to which is oblique to the sheet plane and cuts said plane near the sheet cutting` point, said shaft being` yielding endwise to allow said upper feed member` to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, substantially as described.

l5. In a machine of the nature described, the combination of cutting` means including an upright upper reciprocatory cutter, an upright reciprocable shaft, an upper feed member supported on said shaft on an axis which is oblique to the sheet plane and cuts said plane near the sheet cutting point, said shaft being yielding endwise to allow Said upper feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting in the sheet plane, and automatic means fo 1 rotating the upper feed member, substantially as de'- scribed.

16. In a. machine of the nature described7 the combination .of cutting means including an upright upper reciprocatory cutter, an upright reciprocable shaft, a conical upper feed member supported onsaid shaft on an axis which is oblique to the sheet plane and cuts said plane near they sheet cutting point, said shaft beingl yielding endwlse to allow said upper` feed member to bear yieldingly upon the upper face of a sheet resting' lthe sheet plane, and automatic means for rotat- 'ing the upper feed member, substantially as described.

l?. in a machine of the nature described,

the combination of cutting` means, an up CHARLES B. GRAY. 

